If you’ve got a portable generator and plan on using it for your home’s power in case of an emergency, for an office that holds staff and a good amount of electricity or even on a family camping trip. A portable generator is known for being a strong, reliable piece of equipment so the last thing we want when using it is for it to fail when we need it the most.
Like anything in the real world, unfortunately, pieces of equipment regardless of how durable they are fail. There are a couple of reasons why your generator could fail such as your filters could suddenly break, fuel lines get clogged and pull cords tear so it’s best to be vigilant about your generator by servicing it and getting it maintained over time.
If your powerful backup generator randomly starts getting delays when starting, you can begin to start hearing a small rattle inside or worst of all is just not firing up at all.
We’ve put together our top tips on safely repairing a generator for your home. If you don’t feel comfortable repairing your generator then companies such as Pleavin Power will be happy to help you on getting your generator up and running again.
These tips more often than not can help you fix small issues before you end up having to ring up an expert.
Recognise Any Potential Warning Signs
Before the worst of the worst happens and your generator takes a turn for the worse then it’s important that you know the potential warning signs before you have to fix it. Being ahead of the curve can save you time on having to properly repair your generator!
If you know the warning signs beforehand, you’ll realise that some problems that occur are quite easy to replace and shouldn’t worry you e.g. if you happen to have a torn pull-cord it’s just a simple change and when a generator is experiencing some start-up delays may only need a quick fuel or filter replacement to get it firing back up again.
How To Replace A Torn Pull Cord
An example that we just shared that sometimes happens on a generator is that your pull cord has been torn. This process isn’t a difficult one and can be done quickly even the first time doing it!
It’s a simple wind-it-up and goes when replaced but a big thing you need to look out for in the spring. In advance of wrapping your new cord around the starter of your generator, make sure that your spring has been wound up as far as it can go.
If it isn’t wound up as far as it can go, it runs the risk of the cord hanging from your generator without a functional spring so it can’t go back into housing. If this happens to occur, your generator won’t start at all!
Inspect The Breakers
You may have noticed that your generator has actually started perfectly but there’s just one massive flaw… it’s not actually producing any electricity! Now that can be extremely annoying especially when your backup generator is supposed to give you electricity in case of a sudden black-out!
This could be from your breakers being faulty. Replacing the breakers on your generator is as easy as requesting the proper set from the manufacturer of your generator and following the process of installing them.
If you are a handy person then you may find it’s a simple job to do but if this doesn’t seem as simple as once thought then no need to worry as here at Pleavin Power we can help you get your generator working.
To stop this happening altogether and prevent failure of your breakers then stay ahead by frequently doing routine checks on your breakers.
Replacing Your Fuel Filters
This varies on what generator you have but if your generator has a small plastic fuel filter inside it, you may wonder what it is for. These amazing little filters stop any dirt, debris and most importantly and most common dust. Over time your fuel filters do their job that well it can lead to them being clogged!
If your filters have become clogged then the fuel system that runs your generator starts to receive little fuel or if it’s become that clogged it will receive no fuel at all! If it’s running on little to no fuel then your generator won’t start together.
Follow this process to see if your fuel filters need to be replaced: just detach the fuel where it attaches to the carburettor (to avoid any unwanted fuel dropping on you or spilling then hold a container over it to be able to catch any unwanted fuel.) and then run your generator while watching the fuel filter.
If you notice that no fuel is passing through to your generator then it’s time to change your fuel filters. A quick way to repair it is just to give it a fast clean, sometimes will work but if still not after a clean then replace your fuel filters. Fuel filters are on the market for cheap and shouldn’t cost you much to replace.
Do Regular Maintenance And Servicing On Your Generator
If the worst has happened and your portable generator has failed. Take a deep breath and relax as it’s not the end of the world, we understand that it can be annoying especially if it’s failed during a power shortage as it’s there in case of this emergency.
Once whatever the problem is that’s caused it to fail once fixed, you can avoid it from ever happening again by doing regular maintenance and servicing your generator. If you run a regular schedule on your generator, you’ll be able to sort out any underlying problems that could happen when running your generator.
A good way is to even run your generator every couple of months even if you don’t need it just quickly to see how it’s running and if it needs any maintenance done on it before you need it for a real emergency.
Jack is the owner of Pleavin Power which was founded in 2017. He has worked in the power industry for over a decade and has an extreme focus on providing a quality service to clients across the UK. This has led Pleavin Power to becoming the market leader in the Critical, Prime & Standby Power markets.
